Stampeders flood Lions' end zone in 44-32 rout

Mike Beamish, Vancouver Sun06.29.2013

B.C. Lion Stuart Foord misses a tackle on Calgary Stampeder Larry Taylor during the Lions-Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C. Lion Jason Arakgi (left) tries to catch Calgary Stampeders runner Larry Taylor during the Lions-Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C. Lions Ryan Phillips (right) and Joshua Bell try to bring down Calgary Stampeders running back Jon Cornish during the Lions-Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Calgary Stampeder Joe West celebrates his first-half touchdown during the B.C. Lions-Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C. Lions quarterback Travis Lulay hands off the ball to running back Tim Brown (left) during the Lions-Calgary Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C. Lions defensive lineman Keron Williams (right) tackles Calgary Stampeders running back Jon Cornish during the Lions-Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C. Lions quarterback Travis Lulay throws the ball down field during the Lions-Calgary Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Calgary Stampeders quarterback Drew Tate winds up to pass the ball during the B.C. Lions-Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi thanks emergency responders and ordinary Calgarians for all their efforts during the recent massive flooding prior to the B.C. Lions-Calgary Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi thanks emergency responders and ordinary Calgarians for all their efforts during the recent massive flooding prior to the B.C. Lions-Calgary Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi waits on the sidelines prior to the B.C. Lions-Calgary Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi shares a joke with emergency responders who took part in rescue efforts during the recent massive flooding there prior to the B.C. Lions-Calgary Stampeders Canadian Football League season opener at McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 28, 2013.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

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CALGARY — The B.C. Lions must think Jon Cornish is of a lower caste. They rendered him almost untouchable Friday night.

Last year’s Canadian Football League rushing leader was on a personal crusade to show up the “disrespect” he claimed the Lions had shown the Calgary Stampeders after last year’s West Final. Calgary punched its ticket to the 100th Grey Cup with a 34-29 win at BC Place Stadium last November. But B.C.’s Andrew Harris was still convinced the Lions were the better team then and still are.

That theory no longer holds water in this flood-ravaged city. Or anywhere around the Canadian Football League.

“Honestly, they disrespected us,” Cornish said. “They say they’re a much better team? I mean, that’s cool, but it’s stuff like that ... you anger people saying stuff like that.”

The Stampeders collapsed on the Lions like a weakened bridge on the Bow River in the first half Friday. They went on to a 44-32 victory before 26,625 fans, which clearly established who is best in the West, for now. The teams meet three more times in the 2013 regular season.

Cornish ran for 109 yards and a touchdown in the first half, added an 11-yard TD scamper after intermission and finished with 172 yards rushing on 24 carries. He added 20 yards in receptions for good measure.

The running back from New Westminster went right, he went left and he had the Lions’ defence — the stingiest against the rush in the CFL last season — guessing and missing. Lions held opponents to an average of 76.4 yards rushing in 2012.

Not only were the Lions at a loss about what to do with Cornish, they were contributors to their own misfortune, accumulating a series of missteps that made their overall cohesion resemble the first day of training camp.

After a 12-yard touchdown pass from Drew Tate to Maurice Price put the Stampeders in front 7-0, a quick snap from first-year Lions’ centre Matt Norman bounced off quarterback Travis Lulay’s knee and was recovered by the Stampeders at B.C.’s 32-yard line. After a tackle-breaking 20-yard run by Cornish, Tate found Joe West in the end zone for another 12-yard score.

Then, it was B.C. long snapper Tim Cronk’s turn to misfire. He sailed a snap over the head of punter Hugh O’Neill, who alertly punted the ball through his own end zone for a safety, moving the Stamps to a 16-0 lead.

The Lions got six points back when Lulay connected with Emmanuel Arceneaux, who beat cornerback Fred Bennett on a 52-yard touchdown play. But O’Neill, a rookie kicker replacing injured veteran Paul McCallum, flubbed the convert when holder Thomas DeMarco apparently couldn’t spot the ball properly. How rare is a missed convert? McCallum, entering his 21st season in the CFL, has never missed one in 712 career attempts.

Halfback Josh Bell, another first-year Lions’ starter, picked up a pair of penalties of the three committed by the Lions on Calgary’s next touchdown drive, which Cornish finished off with a one-yard run to put the Stamps ahead 23-8.

Another wayward snap by Cronk forced O’Neill to stretch and send a line drive punt that Larry Taylor returned to the Lions’ 14-yard line. West beat Lions cornerback Cord Parks on a 14-yard pass from Tate to put the Stamps in front 31-6, with 1:40 left in the first half.

Down but not done, the Lions got off the mat quickly in the second half, with Lulay’s 23-yard run leading to a 17-yard touchdown pass to Courtney Taylor. B.C. then got its second touchdown in a span of 48 seconds when Tate’s pass to Marquay McDaniel was tipped by Ryan Phillips. Parks recorded the first interception return touchdown of his CFL career (45 yards) to reduce Calgary’s lead to 31-20.

Cornish — him again? — was parts workhorse and thoroughbred on the Horsemen’s next touchdown drive. He picked up 36 yards on five carries on an eight-play advance that ended with Cornish running in from 11 yards out to put the Stampeders’ ahead 38-21.

With the score 44-24, Lulay threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Shawn Gore and Nick Moore added a two-point convert on a toss from the quarterback.

But by that time the clock was reading 0:01. Lions ran out of time, opportunity and any right to claim, as Harris said earlier this week, “I still feel we’re the better team to this day.”

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Stampeders flood Lions' end zone in 44-32 rout

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